Some Last Minute Fun

Jonathan’s mom has been here for most of the week and it has been so lovely to have her company and help!  Of course I’d rather have needed it more with a new baby around, but babies really do have their own time line and I’m trying to be patient and trust God that he will have perfect timing.   (It would be a little easier to relax about it if we didn’t have those May 18th tickets to Boston—with a layover—for my dear brother’s wedding looming in the very near future! )  But having this extra week has meant I’ve gotten to do things I’d thought about but hadn’t had time to do.  

Here’s some family portraits from yesterday:

AND we spent Thursday morning making non-permanent pregnant art.   Charlie turned out to be a great artist!  And if nothing else it made me giggle to have cold finger paint spread all over my tummy!

He started out slow….

 

 

Then things got quite colorful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the handprint!

They taught me in college that the sign of a good artist is knowing when to stop….I think we may need to work on this concept!

The finished product was quite brown!  Still, a very fun afternoon had by all!

(And thanks to Mom M for documenting the process!)

…on our happenings while nothing Happens….

 

Nana arrived Monday night to help with little tiny baby sister.   Since little tiny baby sister isn’t swayed by pretty clothes and complicated knitting projects, Nana has been helping the not so little or so tiny Mama around here instead.   It’s great!  

But, we thought Nana might like to have a bed to sleep in as an alternative to the couch.    Charlie proudly helped Jonathan carry all the pieces in, and put it together in his room.   Once it was assembled, he spent the rest of the afternoon playing on it.  

Come bedtime, he climbed right in and insisted that he was sleeping in the “big bed” tonight.  And since he’s going to have to give up his crib to sister eventually, we went along with it.  I wasn’t sure he would actually fall asleep in it….But he did!  He’s slept there two nights now.    Though I’m glad he is wanting it, there is a little part of this Mama’s heart that wasn’t quite ready for her little boy to be so big.  And thankfully Nana likes the couch!Even crazier, he doesn’t look too small for it!

….so Little Tiny Baby Sister…even brother is telling you it’s time.  He’s given up his crib…don’t you want to try it out?….

Bribing Baby Girl to come out….

I finished my present to our baby girl this week.  She is going to attend two family weddings before she is even 2 months old, so I thought a little summer festive flirty something was in order.  I was knitting against the clock, since I get bad carpal tunnel with pregnancy.  I was down to the straps when my fingers started turning numb, so I just ploughed though—with lots of breaks--and just barely made it though sewing on the buttons.  (whew!)  I am hoping it makes her want to come out to wear it.  I want to be small enough to wear it!

“…As you can see, we really are ready, Baby Girl.  We even have lacy heirloom bedding for your swinging basket that your great grandmother made for your Daddy.   It is just begging for a cuddle with some soft baby skin after all these years.  And doesn’t that soft, cozy elephant your Aunt Judy knit make you want to come out and play?…”

..any time, baby girl, anytime!

Christ is Risen!

He is risen, He is risen indeed!!!

I’m glad today was Easter for so many reasons.  It is so good to meditate and think and remember why Christ died for our sins and how powerful our hope in him is because of his resurrection.  I also needed to be reminded to praise him--to focus on a story that is far more global and important than the fact that I am much much too pregnant.

Much to my disappointment, we did not have our baby yesterday or the day before or the day before that—nor has she shown any sign that she would like to be born on Easter!  When I asked Charlie this afternoon, he agreed with me, he would prefer her to come out of my belly rather than stay in.   However, despite our distraction by all things baby sister, we did manage to celebrate Easter, and I hope the Lord forgives this impatient and quite self-centered Mama for her one-track mind!  Here are some of the ways we made Easter a “high feast” day this year.

A Jacobson tradition:  homemade Bear Claw Pastries with almond and apricot filling.   It is a two-day process that involves a whole pound of butter and lots and lots of folding and rolling (and patience) to get all the layers of dough and butter that makes pastry so yummy!   

 

 

 

 

I found great comfort in watching my swollen fingers shape the dough below that huge baby-girl tummy I’m lugging around.  I hope to pass this love on to her someday as my Mom passed it on to me.  I hope she loves the Lord and, as I have, finds his presence sweetly with her in the midst of menial tasks like this .

 

 

Along with that I hope she too decides to enter into the extra work that it takes to help those around her celebrate special days—I can’t think of a day more worth extra work to celebrate than Easter!

A Grace and Peace tradition:  the Balloon Release.Our church in St. Louis has some really fun non-traditional ways of celebrating.   Isn’t this a wonderful way to end an Easter  service?

Christ is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!

What this 37 week pregnant Mama is thankful for about her Charlie

I’m soaking up these last weeks-days-moments with Charlie.  I am so excited about Little Tiny Baby Sister’s arrival, but I am also starting to mourn the easy one-on-one rhythm of my days with Charlie.  I enjoy his conversation and precocious gestures.  I love the way he runs down the hall calling to Jonathan, saying “Hey Hon,”  right after I do.  I love his hugs and snuggling with him while he drinks his “warm” milk in the morning.  Life with him, though high energy, is delightful.  I’m going to be sad when I can’t always be available to stop everything I’m doing, bend down to his view of the world, and attend to his needs/passions right there in the moment.   There is so much to see and celebrate from his perspective!

He has also reached a stage of independence that I find terribly convenient in my current state of tiredness.  I thought  I’d mention, for memory’s sake, a few things that especially make me thankful for him these days! 

He sleeps 11-12 hours a night.  We even had to wake him up a couple times this week, because he was about to sleep through breakfast! 

He can’t figure out how to get out of his crib.  So, instead when he wakes up, he sits there and calls in a sweet sing-song voice, “Mama, come get me,”  over and over until I come. 

He says “thank you” when I give him antibiotics, vitamins or medicine of any kind!

He loves eating.

When it gets quiet it usually means he’s found an intriguing book instead of trouble like it used to.

He likes cooking with his Mama, and is very conscientious about cleaning up the mess.  I depend on him to wipe up my kitchen floor.  (It’s not always perfect, but good enough for the days I can’t stand even thinking about bending over one more time!)At random moments during the day, he puts his hand gently on my stomach, leans in close enough to get my shirt wet with his lips and whispers, “Hi, wittle-tiny-baby-sistuh!”

We sure are ready to meet her around here!

Toddler 101: self-dressing

Course Goals: Complete independence by yesterday.

Instructor: Charlie Marzinke /TA: Mama

Syllabus starts with beaded necklaces and how to indicate (by tantrum) prejudices about wearing particular articles of clothing.  Also included in these first classes are the subtle indications for the need of hair brushing, mascara and lipstick (only Mama)  and headbands (they don’t always bounce back from being pulled straight).The middle of the semester covers undressing and the international negotiation skills required by simple questions such as, “please, Tali naked?” when there is company over.  The final weeks of the semester focus on self-dressing.  Look out for the especially riveting lectures entitled:  Pants—yes, believe it or not, using both holes is optional!  And:  Negotiating Pajama Tops—those neck holes can indeed be tricky little bugars!

Driving…

I do declare the joy of imaginary play is blossoming just like the trees around here!

(Please also notice (and praise her with many praises), how quick little “a” is to share and trade plates with Charlie. It’s a simple moment of triumph in their intense relationship and reflects much hard work and discipline over the last 9 months for all three of us! And, of course, reality is, that I had to edit out the tussle over the rooster plate that followed close on the heels of this encounter! Still, it brings me great joy to see it. )